1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to an ink cartridge that houses ink to be supplied to the print head in an inkjet printer, and more particularly, to an ink cartridge within which is an ink holding member that holds the ink such that the ink held in this ink holding member may be supplied to the print head via the ink supply outlet of the cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, when an inkjet printer performs printing through the expulsion of ink from the print head, the ink housed in the ink cartridge is generally supplied to the print head via the ink supply outlet that is located on the ink cartridge.
Various types of ink cartridges using this principle have conventionally been available. For example, a box-type ink cartridge made of such a material as synthetic resin is available, said ink cartridge having a construction in which (i) an ink holding member comprising a sponge, for example, that holds the ink is placed inside the ink cartridge, and (ii) an ink supply outlet to supply the ink held in the ink holding member to the print head is formed at the bottom of the ink cartridge such that the ink held in the ink holding member may be supplied to the print head via this ink supply outlet.
These ink cartridges have the problem, however, that shortly after ink is supplied to the ink holding member, or when a large amount of ink is supplied to the print head via the ink supply outlet, the ink is not smoothly supplied to the print head via the ink supply outlet and air is instead supplied to the print head via the ink supply outlet, clogging the print head and causing a problem with printing. The case referred to above, where a large number of ink is supplied to the print head via the ink supply outlet, occurs when continuous printing is performed or when a purge operation is performed.